Driven transfer roll for labeling machine

ABSTRACT

A labeling machine wherein there is a picker reciprocably movable between a label magazine and a transfer position for transferring labels to a gripper assembly at the transfer position whereupon the gripper assembly takes the label from the picker and applies it to a container and wherein there is an adhesive pick-up roll supported in a container of adhesive and a transfer roll reciprocably movable in timed relation to the movement of the picker to transfer a coating of adhesive from the pick-up roll to the surface of the picker; characterized in that the transfer roll is a driven roll and is rotated while in contact with the pick-up roll at least one complete revolution, and further characterized in that while in contact with the surface of the picker is rotated no more than one complete revolution as it travels from one end of the picker surface to the other end thereof.

United States Patent [1 1 Schnier 11 3,880,115 1 1 Apr. 29, 1975 1 1 DRIVEN TRANSFER ROLL FOR LABELING MACHINE [75] Inventor: Edward A. Schnier, Hubbardston,

[52] US. Cl. 118/231; 118/238; 118/242; 118/243; 118/263 [51] Int. Cl. 305C l/OO [58] Field of Search 156/572; 118/238, 242, 118/243, 231, 236, 263, 244, 242, 243,263

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,870 4/1937 Oslund 216/54 2,102,679 12/1937 Carlson l 9l/18 2,269,870 l/1942 Carter 91/18 2,600,205 6/1952 Carter,..,. 118/236 X 2,733,683 2/1956 Holm 118/236 2,746,422 5/1956 Newman et a1 118/236 2,814,269 11/1957 Stahr 118/236 2,947,433 8/1960 Carter 118/243 X 3,052,210 9/1962 Hughes... 118/238 3,262,422 7/1966 Carter 118/263 Carroll ct a1 156/350 Harlan 118/236 Primary E.raminerMervin Stein Assistant Examiner-Leo Millstein Attorney, Agent, or FirmDike, Bronstein, Roberts, Cushman & Pfund 57] ABSTRACT A labeling machine wherein there is a picker reciprocably movable between a label magazine and a transfer position for transferring labels to a gripper assembly at the transfer position whereupon the gripper assembly takes the label from the picker and applies it to a container and wherein there is an adhesive pickup roll supported in a container of adhesive and a transfer roll reciprocably movable in timed relation to the movement of the picker to transfer a coating of adhesive from the pick-up roll to the surface of the picker; characterized in that the transfer roll is a driven roll and is rotated while in contact with the pick-up roll at least one complete revolution, and further characterized in that while in contact with the surface of the picker is rotated no more than one complete revolution as it travels from one end of the picker surface to the other end thereof.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DRIVEN TRANSFER ROLL FOR LABELING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to labeling machines of the kind shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,460,214 and 2,940,630 wherein there are pickers mounted for oscillation between a label magazine and a gripper assembly for transferring labels from the magazine to the gripper as sembly which, in turn, transfers the label to a container at a label-applying station. As disclosed in the aforesaid patents each picker comprises two elongate blades arranged edge to edge with their surfaces in a common plane. Adhesive is applied to the surfaces of the picker blades by a transfer roll which, in turn, receives adhesive from a pick-up roll mounted in a container, just before the picker is moved into engagement with the label supported by the magazine, to pick the label from the magazine and following picking the picker moves to a transfer position for transferring the label to the gripper assembly. At the latter position the gripper assembly, which is provided with vacuum means, takes hold of the adhesive-coated label whereupon the picker blades are moved apart far enough to permit the gripper assembly to move forwardly between the blades toward the container to carry the label into engagement with the container. The lateral movement of the blades at the place of transfer, in conjunction with the pressure between the gripper assembly and the blades of the picker at the place oftransfer, helps to spread the adhesive uniformly over the face of the label. In the aforesaid machines the pick-up roll is provided with a uniform thickness of adhesive by means of a doctor blade and this is applied to the transfer roll by holding the latter in contact with the pick-up roll until the transfer roll has made at least one complete rotation. In these machines the pick-up roll is driven but the transfer roll is not; however, the adhesive used is sufficiently tacky so that contact of the tranfer roll with the pick-up roll insures rotation of the transfer roll. Hence all that is required to insure application of a fresh coating of adhesive to the entire surface of the transfer roll is to hold the transfer roll in engagement with the pick-up roll until it has made one complete revolution. There are certain types of plastic containers to which labels are applied that require the use of adhesive which is almost like water and which lacks the tackiness of the jelly-like animal glue heretofore used. When such a watery adhesive is employed it often has so little tackiness that the undriven transfer roll will not be rotated while in engagement with the pick-up roll and merely skids relative to the surface thereof even though antifriction bearings are employed. Consequently, there will be no adhesive on the surface of the transfer roll and when the latter is moved along the surface of the picker for application to the picker. Additionally, because of the lack of tackiness the transfer roll may also skid along the surface of the picker, that is, as it is moved therealong so that even if there is some adhesive on the surface of the transfer roll it will not be transferred uniformly to the surface of the picker. To insure complete coating of the transfer roll with such a watery adhesive and to insure uniform transfer to the picker, the transfer roll must be driven while engaged with the pick-up roll and while in engagement with the picker.

If the length of the picker corresponds exactly to the circumferential length of the transfer roll, one complete revolution of the transfer roll will insure a fresh coating of adhesive to the entire surface of the picker. However, to avoid building machines with a picker and transfer roll having a 1:1 relation for each label size, it is customary to provide machines with pickers suitable for applying labels of all sizes and so that not only one label may be applied but several labels may be applied at the same time, for example, to the body, shoulder and neck. To do this it is necessary to make the picker of sufficient length to accommodate not only labels of all sizes but several labels at a time and so it is necessary to provide the machine with pickers of sufficient length to receive all of the labels to be applied. The pickers are made in lengths of 12, 8 /2 and 5 /2 inches, this range being such as to take care of the complete range of sizes of containers ordinarily encountered. The transfer roll for a 12 inch picker is two inches in diameter and so its circumference is approximately 6.2 inches long. It is obvious therefore that even if a uniform coating of adhesive is applied to the surface of the transfer roll by positively rotating it while in engagement with the pick-up roll the major portion of the adhesive will be applied to the upper portion of the picker surface, that is to the first 6.2 inches during the first complete turn thereof and that the remainder of the surface may not receive enough adhesive to provide for a proper bond. When employing conventional adhesive this condition was not too serious because some adhesive tended to stay with the surface of the transfer roll and to be spread on the remaining surface by the seconcd rotation of the transfer roll. However, a watery adhesive does not exhibit these characteristics with the result that the portion of the picker surface beyond that corresponding to the cimcumferential length of the transfer roll receives substantially no adhesive. It might be thought that the doctor could be set to provide a thicker coating of adhesive on the transfer roll; however, it has been found that the transfer roll will not accumulate an excess of adhesive in a sufficient amount to provide for applying a second coating of adhesive to the picker beyond the first complete turn of the transfer roll in engagement with the picker. To achieve a uniform coating of the entire surface of the picker, the transfer roll must be, driven while in engagement with the player so as to make only one complete turn while travelling from one end of the picker surface to the other.

SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the apparatus is embodied in a label-applying machine comprising a picker having a surface to which adhesive is to be applied, said surface being of a predetermined length, and a transfer roll having a circumference of a different length for applying adhesive to the surface of the picker. The transfer roll is supported for rotation about its axis and for movement along the surface of the picker from one end to the other with the surface of the transfer roll in tangential engagement with the surface of the picker, and according to this invention to insure uniform application of adhesive to the entire surface of the picker there is means for effecting rotation of the transfer roll about its axis as it travels from one end to the other of the picker so that it makes only one complete turn. In the aforesaid engagement the picker is oscillated between a magazine holding labels to be applied to the container and a gripper assembly to which it presents the label for application by the latter to the container. The transfer roll is oscillated in timed relation to the picker so that while the picker is moving toward the magazine it travels along the surface of the picker, applying adhesive thereto, and while the picker is moving from the magazine to the transfer position it is held in engagement with a driven pick-up roll long enough to insure that the transfer roll will make at least one complete turn in engagement with the pick-up roll.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the transfer rolls applying adhesive to the pickers;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation omitting parts, showing the means for actuating the pickers;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation showing the means for rocking a gripper assembly;

FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates the relative positions of a picker, label magazine and adhesive-applying transfer roll;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the adhesiveapplying transfer roll and means for effecting its arcuate and rotational movement; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken from the left side of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the invention is illustrated in conjunction with a labeling machine of the kind shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,630, referred to above, wherein label gripper assemblies 10 are supported in spaced parallel confronting relation to each other on spaced parallel shafts 12l2 for engagement with the opposite sides of containers 14 supported on a conveyor 16 by means of which they are moved successively to positions between the label gripper assemblies for application of labels thereto. The aforesaid machine is provided with, in conjunction with each label gripper assembly, a picker 18 which is movable to a position to take one or more labels from a magazine M (FIG. 4) of labels and move them to a position of transfer to the label gripper assembly, an adhesive transfer roll 20 for applying adhesive to the surface of the picker prior to movement of the picker into engagement with the labels and an adhesive pick-up roll 22 for applying adhesive to the adhesive transfer roll.

The pickers are supported for swinging movement on spaced parallel shafts 2424 and the transfer rolls are supported at the lower ends of arms 26-26, the upper ends of which are pivotally supported for swinging movement on spaced parallel shafts 2828. Each picker shaft 24 is provided with a crank 30 (FIG. 2) which is pivotally connected to the upper end of an arm 32 of a bell-crank lever which is pivoted at 34 to the upper end of a resiliently yieldable link 36 whose lower end is pivoted to one arm 38 on a bell-crank lever, whose other arm carries a cam roller 40 which engages a cam 42 on the main shaft 44. The arm 26 to which the transfer roll 20 is attached is mounted to turn on the shaft 28 and is provided with a crank arm 48 connected by a rigid rod 50 to a crank arm 52 of a rigid rock frame 53 fixed to a rock shaft 54. Each frame has a cam follower roll 56 which engages a cam 58 mounted on the main shaft 44.

The shafts 12-12 on which are mounted the gripper assemblies are rocked so as to carry them in opposite directions toward the container 14 and as disclosed in the aforesaid patent these shafts are movable axially to effect movement of the assemblies back and forth longitudinally of the path of the containers. A crank 60 (FIG. 3) is fixed to each shaft 12 and is connected by a resiliently yieldable link 62 of adjustable length to a rocker 64 pivoted at 66 on a bracket 68 and this rocker 64 is connected by a line 67 to a rock arm 69 pivoted on a bracket 70 fixed to the underside of the table T. The rock arm 69 carries a cam follower roll 72 which engages a groove in a cam 74 fixed on the main shaft Each adhesive carrying roll 22 (FIG. 1) is driven by a sprocket chain 76 entrained about sprockets 78 and 80 respectively.

The foregoing structure is fully disclosed in FIGS. l4, l7 and 22 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,630 for which reference may be had. It suffices to say that according to the aforesaid patent the gripper assemblies 10, pickers l8 and adhesive transfer rolls 20 are moved in timed relation to each other by means of the main shaft 44 and intervening connections such that for each cycle of operation after the gripper assemblies 10 take labels from the pickers 18 the latter swing toward the line of containers sufficiently to permit the adhesive transfer rolls 20 to swing upwardly toward the pivoted ends of the pickers 18, carrying with them a coating of adhesive whereupon the adhesive transfer rolls 20 swing downwardly, moving along the surfaces of the pickers, the latter swinging outwardly as the adhesive transfer rolls travel along their surfaces and then upwardly into engagement with the labels in the magazine M whereupon they pick the labels from the magazine M and swing downwardly and toward the path of the containers to transfer positions where they give up the labels to the gripper assemblies.

In that machine and in other machines of that same kind the adhesive-applying transfer roll 20 is not driven, rotation taking place by means of its rolling engagement with the surface of the picker. If the surface of the picker to which the adhesive is to be applied is of the same length or shorter than the circumference of the adhesive applying transfer roll a uniform coating of adhesive will be applied to the entire surface of the picker. However, if the surface of the picker is longer than the circumference of the adhesive applying transfer roll that portion of the picker which exceeds in length the circumference of the adhesive applying transfer roll will have very little, if any, adhesive applied to it since most of the adhesive will be transferred during the first turn of the adhesive applying transfer roll thus the picker will have an uneven non-uniform coating of adhesive on its surface and correspondingly the labels to which this adhesive is transferred will have a non-uniform coating of adhesive applied thereto.

In accordance with this invention, the foregoing may be remedied by rotating the adhesive-applying transfer roll while it is being traversed lengthwise of the picker surface so that it makes only one complete turn throughout such movement, that is, from one end to the other of the picker surface. FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates the relative positions of the picker 18, the label magazine M, the adhesive applying transfer roll 20 and adhesive carrying roll 22 and FIGS. 5 and 6 specifically illustrate the mounting for the adhesive applying transfer roll in elevation and section.

Referring to these figures the adhesive applying transfer roll 20 is mounted on a shaft 21 journaled in the lower end of the arm 26. The shaft 21 extends through the arm 26 and has fixed to it a gear 82 by means of which it is adapted to be rotated. A gear 84 is fixed to the shaft 28 at the upper end of the arm,26 and a gear belt 86 is entrained about these two gears 82, 84 so that rotation of the upper gear 84 effects rotation of the lower gear 82 and lienceof the adhesive applying transfer roll 20. The arm 26 is adapted to swing on the shaft 28 and oscillation is effected by means of the rod 50, as heretofore described, to cause the adhesive applying transfer roll to travel from the adhesive carrying roll 22 along the path depicted by the arcuate line x-x (FIG. 4). The shaft 28 on which the arm 26 is pivotally mounted extends through a supporting part 88 of the machine frame and has on its opposite end a gear 90. The gear 90 meshes with a second gear 92 formed on a sprocket 94 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 96 fixed to a part 88a. The sprocket 94 is connected by a chain 97 entrained about it to a sprocket 98 mounted on a drive shaft 100 which in turn is connected to the main drive shaft 44. An idler sprocket 102 supported between the aforesaid sprockets 94, 98 provides for obtaining the proper degree of tension in the chain 97 for driving purposes.

The aforesaid means comprising the arms, gears and chains are so proportioned that the adhesive-applying transfer roll 20 will make one complete turn while it is travelling from one end of the picker surface to the other and since the circumferential surface of the adhesive applying transfer roll is less than the length of the picker surface, the application of adhesive to the surface of the picker is effected partly by sliding movement of the surface of the adhesive-applying transfer roll along the surface of the picker and partly by rolling engagement of the surface of the adhesive applying transfer roll on the surface of the picker and that the transfer roll will make at least one complete turn while in engagement with the pick-up roll 22.

The gears 90 and 92 comprise change gears for the purpose of changing the speed of the transfer roll 20 to allow for different lengths of pickers to maintain one revolution of the transfer roll for the different lengths of picker related above, to wit, l2, 8V2 and 5V2 inches.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying a uniformly thick coating of adhesive to a surface of predetermined length, with a transfer roll of limited diameter having a circumferential surface of predetermined length which is less than said surface of predetermined length, supporting the transfer roll for translational movement about a predetermined axis relative tosaid surface of predetermined length and parallel threto from one end to the other end for rotation relative to said surface about an axis parallel to said predetermined axis, means for simultaneously effecting translation and rotation of the roll and means for controlling the rate of rotation of the roll relative to the surface while traveling in translation to cause it to make only one complete turn.

2. Apparatus for applying a uniformly thick coating of adhesive to the surface of a picker having a surface of predetermined length by means of a transfer roll of the picker from one end to the other for rotation relative to said surface about an axis parallel to said predetermined axis, means for simultaneously effecting translation and rotation of the roll and means for controlling the rate of rotation relative to the surface of the picker while traveling in translation to make only one complete turn.

3. In a labeling machine, a picker having a picking surface of predetermined length, means supporting the picker for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a label magazine and a gripper assembly for taking labels from the magazine and presenting them to the gripper assembly for application to a container, an adhesive transfer roll, means supporting the adhesive transfer roll for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a source of adhesive and the picker in intersecting relation therewith such that the transfer roll is traversed along the surface of the picker away from the pivot axis thereof while the picker is swinging toward the axis of the transfer roll, means for effecting swinging movement of the transfer roll relative to the picker and for rotating the transfer roll comprising an arm shaft, an arm pivotally supported at one end on the arm shaft for swinging movement thereon, a roll shaft mounting the transfer roll for rotation at the other end of the arm, a gear fixed to said arm shaft, a gear fixed to said roll shaft, a gear belt entrained about said gears, a drive gear fixed to said arm shaft, a sprocket embodying a gear in mesh with the drive gear, a driven sprocket and a chain entrained about said sprockets, the ratio of said gears and sprockets being such as to rotate the transfer roll only once while the arm traverses the transfer roll from one end to the other of the picker surface.

4. In a labeling machine, a picker having a picking surface of predetermined length said picker being supported for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a label magazine and a gripper assembly for taking labels from the magazine and presenting them to the gripper assembly for application to a container, an adhesive transfer roll having a peripheral surface of a predetermined length which is shorter than the length of said surface of predetermined length, means supporting the adhesive transfer roll for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a source of adhesive and the picker in timed relation thereto such that the transfer roll is traversed along the surface of the picker while traveling away from the axis swing of the picker in tangential engagement therewith, means for effecting movement of the picker and transfer roll to effect such traversing and means for rotating the transfer roll about its axis relative to said surface while being moved along said surface at a rate such that it makes only one complete turn while traveling from one end to the other end of said surface of predetermined length.

5. Apparatus for applying adhesive to the surface of a picker which is arranged to travel along an arc between a label magazine and a gripper assembly to pick a label from the magazine and present it to the gripper assembly. said picker having a label receiving surface of predetermined length, a transfer roll having a circumferential length which is shorter than the label receiving surface, means supporting the transfer roll for arcuate movement in timed relation to the picker such as to travel lengthwise of the picker surface while the picker is moving from the transfer position to the magazine to apply adhesive to said label receiving surface of the picker for picking a label from the magazine, a pickup roll to which a uniform coating of adhesive is applied supported in a position to be engaged by the transfer roll while the picker is moving from the magazine t the transfer position to obtain a fresh coating of adhesive from the pickup roll and means for rotating the transfer roll so that while traveling along said label receiving surface of the picker it makes no more than one complete turn and while in engagement with the pickup roll it makes no less than one complete turn. 

1. Apparatus for applying a uniformly thick coating of adhesive to a surface of predetermined length, with a transfer roll of limited diameter having a circumferential surface of predetermined length which is less than said surface of predetermined length, supporting the transfer roll for translational movement about a predetermined axis relative to said surface of predetermined length and parallel threto from one end to the other end for rotation relative to said surface about an axis parallel to said predetermined axis, means for simultaneously effecting translation and rotation of the roll and means for controlling the rate of rotation of the roll relative to the surface while traveling in translation to cause it to make only one complete turn.
 2. Apparatus for applying a uniformly thick coating of adhesive to the surface of a picker having a surface of predetermined length by means of a transfer roll of a predetermined limited diameter and hence of a circumferential surface of predetermined length which is less than that of the surface of the picker comprising supporting the transfer roll for translational movement about a predetermined axis relative to the surface of the picker from one end to the other for rotation relative to said surface about an axis parallel to said predetermined axis, means for simultaneously effecting translation and rotation of the roll and means for controlling the rate of rotation relative to the surface of the picker while traveling in translation to make only one complete turn.
 3. In a labeling machine, a picker having a picking surface of predetermined length, means supporting the picker for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a label magazine and a gripper assembly for tAking labels from the magazine and presenting them to the gripper assembly for application to a container, an adhesive transfer roll, means supporting the adhesive transfer roll for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a source of adhesive and the picker in intersecting relation therewith such that the transfer roll is traversed along the surface of the picker away from the pivot axis thereof while the picker is swinging toward the axis of the transfer roll, means for effecting swinging movement of the transfer roll relative to the picker and for rotating the transfer roll comprising an arm shaft, an arm pivotally supported at one end on the arm shaft for swinging movement thereon, a roll shaft mounting the transfer roll for rotation at the other end of the arm, a gear fixed to said arm shaft, a gear fixed to said roll shaft, a gear belt entrained about said gears, a drive gear fixed to said arm shaft, a sprocket embodying a gear in mesh with the drive gear, a driven sprocket and a chain entrained about said sprockets, the ratio of said gears and sprockets being such as to rotate the transfer roll only once while the arm traverses the transfer roll from one end to the other of the picker surface.
 4. In a labeling machine, a picker having a picking surface of predetermined length said picker being supported for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a label magazine and a gripper assembly for taking labels from the magazine and presenting them to the gripper assembly for application to a container, an adhesive transfer roll having a peripheral surface of a predetermined length which is shorter than the length of said surface of predetermined length, means supporting the adhesive transfer roll for swinging movement about a predetermined axis between a source of adhesive and the picker in timed relation thereto such that the transfer roll is traversed along the surface of the picker while traveling away from the axis swing of the picker in tangential engagement therewith, means for effecting movement of the picker and transfer roll to effect such traversing and means for rotating the transfer roll about its axis relative to said surface while being moved along said surface at a rate such that it makes only one complete turn while traveling from one end to the other end of said surface of predetermined length.
 5. Apparatus for applying adhesive to the surface of a picker which is arranged to travel along an arc between a label magazine and a gripper assembly to pick a label from the magazine and present it to the gripper assembly. said picker having a label receiving surface of predetermined length, a transfer roll having a circumferential length which is shorter than the label receiving surface, means supporting the transfer roll for arcuate movement in timed relation to the picker such as to travel lengthwise of the picker surface while the picker is moving from the transfer position to the magazine to apply adhesive to said label receiving surface of the picker for picking a label from the magazine, a pickup roll to which a uniform coating of adhesive is applied supported in a position to be engaged by the transfer roll while the picker is moving from the magazine to the transfer position to obtain a fresh coating of adhesive from the pickup roll and means for rotating the transfer roll so that while traveling along said label receiving surface of the picker it makes no more than one complete turn and while in engagement with the pickup roll it makes no less than one complete turn.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, comprising a container for holding a body of adhesive, said pick-up roll being supported in the container for rotation with a part submerged in the adhesive and a part exposed, a doctor supported against the exposed surface of the pick-up roll, said doctor being adjustable to control the thickness of the adhesive on the exposed surface of the pick-up roll, and means for effecting rotation of the pick-up roll. 